Method for processing fibers



Dec. 22, 1964 c. J. STALEGO METHOD FOR PROCESSING FIBERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 25, 1957 Charles 1 5151290. B?

QTTYS.

INVENT OR:

Dec. 22, 1964 c. J. STALEGO 3,161,920

METHOD FOR PROCESSING FIBERS Original Filed July 25. 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 LEE-E- INVENTOR:

fifzarles .l Sialega.

ATT'YE'.

Dec. 22, 1964 c. J. STALEGO METHOD FOR PROCESSING FIBERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed July 25, 135'? INVENTOR. Charles J. SfaZegu. BY M W Dec. 22, 1964 C. J. STALEGO METHOD FOR PROCESSING FIBERS Original Filed July 25. 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR:

Charles .7. Sialagu.

United States Patent 3 Claims. (CI. 19-51) This invention relates to novel method and apparatus for forming and processing fibers or filaments and more especially to a method and apparatus for manufacturing sliver from fine fibers or filaments attenuated from mineral materials through the utilization of centrifugal forces and an attenuating blast for producing the fibers. This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 674,227, since abandoned.

Various methods have been employed in gathering and compacting staple fibers into sliver, thread or yarn formation but difficulties have been encountered in orienting haphazardly arranged fibers into a sliver or linear group in a manner whereby the staple fibers are uniformly distributed lengthwise of the sliver and in attaining an end product which is of substantially uniform diameter and of smooth contour throughout its length. The US. patent to Lannan and Vanucci 2,239,722 is an example of one method of collecting fibers on a conveyor and subsequently passing them through a die for compacting the fibers into a sliver and during the compacting operation to modify the cross-sectional configuration of the sliver and impart a false twist thereto.

This arrangement of this patent is utilized for forming a strand or sliver of steam blown fibers formed from glass streams delivered from a fixed feeder, the fibers being collected in haphazard orientation, a condition which fosters the formation of a sliver of non-uniform diameter.

The present invention embraces a method of forming a sliver of fibers wherein the natural orientation of the fibers established by the attenuating operation is utilized in processing the fibers into a sliver of substantially uniform size.

An object of the invention resides in a method wherein fibers formed by the attenuation of centrifuged bodies of heat-softened mineral material and oriented into a hollow beam formation are conveyed into a rotating fiber Compactor or device to form a sliver of substantially uniform size and in which protruding fibers or loose fibers are wrapped or folded into the sliver to form a smooth sliver.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a method wherein fibers of a hollow beam formation are collected in loop configurations without impairing the orientation of the fibers and continuously conveying the loops of fibers into a compactor to form a sliver in which successive loops of fibers are arranged in echelon along the sliver.

Another object of the invention resides in an apparatus for converging a hollow beam of fibers into a rotating compactor whereby the rotation compacts the fibers into a smooth surfaced sliver.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an apparatus for collecting fibers directly from an attenuating zone without materially disturbing the natural orientation of the fibers established by attenuation and drawing the fibers through a rotating tubular member to lick in loose or protruding fibers into a smooth linear body.-

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for collecting fibers in successive loops and continuously conveying the loops of fibers into a $151326 Patented Dec. 22, I964 turbinizer to form the loops of fibers into a smooth-surfaced high strength sliver.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economics of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawing of a form of the invention, which may be preferred, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a semi-diagrammatic elevational view of an apparatus for carrying out the method of forming and compacting fibers into a sliver;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view through the rotor'and material distributing arrangement of FIGURE 1, the View being taken substantially on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a semi-diagrammatic view illustrating a form of fiber compacting and sliver smoothing means;

FIGURE 6 is a semi-diagrammatic sectional view illustrating a rotary fiber-forming apparatus and means for collecting and compacting the fibers into a plurality of slivers;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the fiber collecting and conveying arrangement shown in FIGURE 6; I

FIGURE 8 is a plan view illustrating loops of fibers conveyed into a fiber compacting means for forming slivers;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 1tl10 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 11 illustrates a modified form of fiber attenuation and fiber collecting and conveying means;

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing another method of collecting, conveying and forming fibers into a sliver, and

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the fiber collecting means shown in FIGURE 12, the section being taken on the line 1313 of FIG- URE 12.

While the invention has been illustrated as particularly usable in forming molten glass into fibers and processing the fibers to form a smooth sliver or strand, it is to be understood that the method and apparatus may be utilized for forming and processing other kinds of fibers if desired.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 1 illustrates a structural arrangement for carrying out or performing the steps in the method of the invention. In this arrangement the fiber-forming material is discharged outwardly from a rotor and the discharged material attenuated into fibers through the utilization of a high velocity gaseous blast. The stream 11 of molten glass or other heat-softened fiber-forming material flows from an orifice in a feeder 10 which is associated with a forehearth (not shown) containing a supply of molten glass.

Disposed beneath the feeder 10 is a rotor 12 having a cylindrical sleeve-like portion 14 which is journally supported in suitable bearings (not shown). The rotor 12 is adapted to be rotated by a motor or other suitable means (not shown). The rotor is fashioned with a peripheral wall 18 formed with a large number of small orifices or openings 20 through which the heat-softened glass Within the rotor is discharged in the form of discrete bodies or primary filaments 21 moving outwardly under the infiuence of the centrifugal forces of rotation.

The sleeve portion 14 of the rotor is connected with the peripheral wall 18 by a frusto-conically shaped portion 22. A glass distributing or dispersing means 24 is contained within the rotor and one form of the means 24 is illustrated in FIGURES 2 through 4. Surrounding the sleeve 14 of the rotor is an annularly shaped burner construction 28 which is formed with an annular combustion chamber or confined zone 30 in which a combustible mixture, such as fuel gas and air, is adapted to be burned. The fuel gas and air is admitted to the chamber 30 through a manifold (not shown).

The lower wall portion 32 of the burner-construction is formed with an annularly shaped slot or orifice 34 through which the burned gases or products of combustion from the 'chamber30 are discharged in the form'of a high velocity gaseous blast. The 'annular-ly-shaped blast emanating from the orifice 314 is directed into engagement with the outwar ly movingbodies or primaries 21 attenuating them into fine fibers. While the gaseous blast of burned gases is of a temperature well above the "attenuating temperature of the glass, itis;to-be understood that air, steam or other gas moving at sufiicient velocities 'to effect attenuation of the primaries-21 to fibers maybe-employed as attenuating mediums. I

By reason of the annular character of the attenuating region established at the zone of engagementof the gases of 'the blast with the primaries, the attenuated fibers move downwardly in directions substantially parallel with the axis of the rotor -12 in the form of a-substantially hollow beam or web 37 of-fibers-39. V A feature of the invention is the formation of a sliver from the fibers of the beam by converging the fibers into a continuous sliveror linear bundle. Due to the fact that the attenuating operation provides a natural orientation of the fibers in the hollow beam formation whereby they are generally in parallelism,-a-sliver or strand'40 may be formed from the fibers without material modification-or impairment of their natural orientation in the beam.

The bundle of fibers, sliveror'st-rand may be fed through a fiber compacting 'device or means-38 for folding in or licking down any loose fibers or projecting fiber ends. The sliver 40 formed 'fromthe fibers 39- may be collected in any suitable manner, as for example, the sliver may be wound upon .a sleeve 42 mounted upon a rotatable shaft 43 to form a-package. I

The arrangement shown in FIGURE 1 preferably-embodies a means for assisting in converging the fibers of the hollow beam 37 into a strand or sliver formation. Surrounding the beam of =fibers isafrusto conically shaped element 45 which is supported adjacent its respective ends by means of bearings 46 and 47, the-angularity or degree of'convergence of the fibers of the beam being generally conicident with the inner surface of the frusto-conically shaped guide member 45. The thin-walled member 45 is provided with a comparatively large number of comparatively small openings 49 through which the gases from the blast may flow away from the converginggroup of fibers.

Means may be provided for establishing a subatmospheric' or reduced pressure adjacent the member 45 in order tofacilitate the-disposal of the spent gases of the blast through the openings 49. Surrounding the member 45 is an annular receptacle 55 connected by means of a .pipe or tubular member'57 with a suction blower'or other suitable source of reduced pressure. Thus the subatmospheric pressure within the chamber -56 provided by the annular receptacle 55 establishes 'suctionwhich fosters the flow of spent gases of the blast through the openings 49 and away from the region of travel of the fibers. V

A form of sliver guide and fiber compacting means 38 is illustrated in FIGURE 5. The arrangement is inclusive of a housing 60 having an enlarged circular portion 61 enclosing a plurality of turbine blades or vanes 62. The turbine blades are connected with or supported by a-tubula'r member 64, the latter being journally supported bearings 66 carried by the housing 60. The entrance end 68 f the tubular member 64 is preferably flared or bellmouthed shaped to facilitate the delivery of the group of fibers, sliver or strand intothe member 64.

distribution zones.

The interior diameter of the tubular member 64 at a region spaced from the entrance end 68 is of a dimension to snugly receive the sliver or fiber group so that rotation of the tubular member 64 functions to wrap in, fold in or lick down any projecting fibers or loose fibers so as to produce a compact sliver having a smooth exterior surface which is free from fuzz'iness. The housingportien 61 is provided with atangentialiy arranged inlet 'm'whieh is in communication with a tube 71 connected with a source of gas under ressure, such as compressed air, whereby a jet or stream of compressed air or other gas is directed against the bladesor vanes 62 for rotating the tubular member or fiber compactor 64.

While the member is illustrated as being driven or rotated by a'turbine construction, it is to be understood that the tubular 'member'may be driven by other means such as an "electric motor wherein the motor shaft may be of tubu-larconstruction to accommodate the sliver-and function as a sliver smoothing'means.

Where the beam 37 of fibers is directed through the frusto-conically shaped member 45 and'thelatter'r'emains in static condition, -no twisting of the linear group of fibers will takeplace 'in the rotating compactor 38. By rotating the member 45 a twist maybe imparted to the group of fibers as they converge into sliver formation adjacent the entrance of the compactor 38 by reason of the subatmospheric pressure in chamber 56, causing the fibers to adhere to the innerconica'lly shaped surface whereby the fibers are slidably'moved toward the region of convergence by the interadherence or interfelting of the fibers in the beam.

Thus while the fibers within-the frusto-conicallyshaped member 45 may be urged into engagement with the inner surface thereof 'with'consider'able lateral force under the influence of the suction in chamber 56, only a comparatively small amount of tension or force 'is required to slide the fibers downwardly along the inner'surface of member 45. p

FIGURES 2 through 4 illustrate the configuration of a material distributing member 24 disposed within the rotor 12 for redirecting the glass or material of th'e stream 11 being dispersed or distributed laterally 'of the axis of rotation by centrifugal forces. The member 24 is of generally circular configuration as shown in FIGURE 2 and is "fashioned with an upwardly extending sleeve portion 75 which is joined by a suitable means to the rotor '12. The sleeve portion 75 is joined to a-circular flange-76 The member 24 is formed with a centrally disposed bottom wall 'or planar portion 78 preferably of circular configuration, the stream 11of glassir'n'pin'gin'g upon the portion '78. The lower wall configuration surrounding the planar central portion 78 is shaped to provide for the outward discharge of glass on "three different horizontal levels so as to effect a substantially equal distribution of the glass along the inner surface of the perforated peripheral wall 18 throughout the vertical dimension of the wall.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the bottom wall portion of the glass distributor is joined to the flange 76 by means; of three posts or struts 80 which are preferably peripherally equally spaced and are positioned at the zones of transition of the bottom wall portions to the tril'evel With particular reference to FIG- URES 2 and 3, the sector-shaped region '82 of the bottom wall is arranged in the same plane as the central portion 78' and is disposed so as to distribute the glass in the form of a band of a depth equal to approximately onethird of the fvertic'al dimension of the perforated wall 18 as indicated at 84.

As particularly shown in FIGURE 3, the sector-shaped region 86 of the bottom wall is angularly disposed or slanted upwardly to direct the outwardly moving glass into engagement with the upper third of the vertical dimension of the perforated wall 18 as indicated at 88.

or portion 90 of the bottom wall angularly disposed and slanted upwardly from the central portion to direct the outwardly moving glass into contact with the central portion of the perforated peripheral wall 18 as indicated at 92 intermediate the zones 84 and 88 of engagement of the glass with the rotor wall. The distributing member 24 is illustrated as being rotatable with the rotor 12, but it is to be understood that the distributor may be rotated independently of the rotor. Through this arrangement the glass or fiber-forming material of the stream 11 is substantially equally distributed over the perforated wall 18 so as to provide an ample supply of glass adjacent all of the orifices 20.

FIGURES 6 through 10 illustrate an arrangement for carrying on or performing the method of the invention wherein the fibers of the hollow beam are collected in loop formations and the loops of fibers oriented into a strand or sliver. The fiber attenuating method is similar to that carried out by the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1 and includes a rotor 12' having a peripheral vertical wall 18' provided with a plurality of orifices 20' through which molten glass or other material on the interior of the rotor is proiected by centrifugal forces of rotation of the rotor forming primary filaments or discrete bodies 21'.

An annularly-shaped burned 28 surrounds and is disposed above the rotor 12'. The burner is provided with a combustion chamber, the lower wall of which is formed with an annular restricted slot or orifice 34' through which a high velocity blast of burned gases resulting from combustion of a fuel and air mixture in the chambet is discharged into engagement with the primary filaments 21' attenuating them into fibers 39 which move away from the rotor in a hollow beam formation 37.

Disposed adjacent the rotor and surrounding the beam of fibers 37 is a hood or enclosure 95 which may be of'circular or rectangular cross 'section for guiding the fibers toward a collecting means. In this form of the invention, the fibers are collected on transversely spaced linear supports arranged to collect the fibers in a plurality of catenary-like configurations as shown in FIG- URE 9. As particularly shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the fiber collecting arrangement includes a plurality of flexible wires, cords or cables 98 of endless type disposed in transversely spaced relation.

The flexible wires or cables 98 are supported to form an upper flight 100 by means of a group of grooved rollers or sheaves 102 which are mounted upon a transversely arranged shaft 103, the grooves in the sheaves 102 functioning to maintain the fiber collectors 98 in spaced relation'. The cables at the end region of the flight 1M pass around a roller 105 so as to maintain the regions of the cables forming flight- 100 substantially in a single plane.

The wires or cables 98 are in constant tension and take over or pass around rolls 106, one of which may be driven .to advance the upper flight 100 of the cables in a righthand direction as viewed in FIGURE 6. A receptacle 108 is disposed beneath the flight 100 and is in registration with the hood or enclosure 95, the receptacle forming a chamber 110 connected by means of a tube or pipe 111 with a suction blower or means for establishing reduced pressure in the chamber 110.

The suction or subamospheric pressure in chamber 110 assists in the depositioii of the fibers upon the cables 98 and conveys away the spent gases of the attenuating blast from the burner 28 or other ga s utilized as an attenuating blast. The fibers formedb; the apparatus shown in FIGURE 6 are of varying lengths and a large portion of the fibers are of sufficient length to be disposed astraddle several of the cables 93 and the shorter length fibers supported by the longer fibers in the general orientation illustrated in FIGURE 9.

Means is provided for severing the bight regions of the caternary-liice configurations 1K4 of the collected fibers. With particular reference to FIGURES 6, 7 and l0, there is provided a transversely extending shaft 116 support ing a sleeve 117 carrying a plurality of hubs 118, each hub being equipped with a plurality of radially extending bars, rods or knives 120. As shown in FIGURE 7, the hub and rod assemblies are disposed whereby the blades rotare in regions midway between adjacent cables 98 of the fiight roe.

The hubs 118 are secured upon the sleeve 11'! which is fixed upon the shaft 116 whereby all of the hub and rod assemblies are rotated by the shaft driven by any suitable means. It should be noted from FIGURE 2 that the blades or rods 120 are of sufficient length whereby the extremities thereof traverse a path whose upper limit is above the flight 160 so that during rotation of the shaft 116 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed irrFIGURE 6, the blades or rods engage the bight regions of the catenary-like configurations 114 and sever the fibers whereby the fibers are suspended by the cables 98 in the upper flight in inverted Ushaped loops as shown in FIGURE 10.

Disposed beneath the assemblies of hubs 118 and blades or rods is a transversely moving conveyor 128 of the endless bele type which is arranged to receive any loose fibers or short fibers which may be dislodged from the catenary configurations 114 during the fiber severing operations and convey such collected fibers to a zone remote from the fiber severing region.

The fibers in inverted U-shaped formations are assembled into a linear bundle, sliver or strand formation. Disposed bctween the fiber severing rod or blade assemblies and the .cable guiding roll 105 is a plate-like member or bafile 130 preferably of curved configuration as shown in FIGURE 6, the upper edge region of which terminates adjacent the zone of engagement of the cables 98 with the roller 105. The plate or fiber guiding member 130 is adapted to engage the parallel leg regions of the inverted U-shaped fiber groups or loops causing them to approach a horizontal position as viewed in FIGURE 6 or a position in substantial parallelism'with the cables 98 of the fiight100. I r V Disposed in transv rsely spaced relation adjacent the roller 105 and in alignment with each of the advancing loops of fibers 124 is a fiber compactor or turbinizer 38' of the character shown in FIGURE 5. The loop or bight regions of the transversely spaced loops of fibers 124 enter the tubular means of the sliver compacting devices 38' in advance of the trailing fibers which are smoothed down and compacted in the rotating compactors to form a smooth surfaced sliver in which any loose fibers or projecting fiber ends are wrapped or folded into or licked down into the sliver.

As the interfelted U-shaped fiber groups 124 are disposed substantially uniformly along the upper-- flights of cables 98, the groups successively enter the fiber compactor 38' and in the finished sliver the groups of fibers are arranged in echelon formation in substantially uniform linear spacing. The slivers take over a guide roll 136 and may be wound on sleeves 42' to form packages, the winding tension assisting in advancing the groups 124 of fibers into the compactor through the frictional interadherence or interfeltiug of the fibers.

If desired, a lubricant, hinder or other coating material may be delivered onto the fibers within the hood or enclosure 95 and a coating on the fibers tends to augment the integration of the fibers into slivers as they enter and move through the tubular members 64' of the fiber compactors 38'.

By reason of the formation of the slivers by loops of fibers oriented in echelon relation, a high strength sliver is produced and the fibers are substantially uniformly distributed lengthwise of the sliver with the fibers of the loops in substantially parallel relation. A sliver of this character is admirably suited for formation into threads and yarns for textile purposes by reason of the uniform size and smoothness of the surface.

FIGURE 11 is illustrative of a modified method of fiber attenuation and arrangement for collecting the fibers. FIGURE 11 illustrates a relatively stationary elongated burner 140 provided with a combustion chamber or confined zone in which a combustible mixture supplied through a manifold 142 is completely burned and the products of combustion or burned gases projected as a high velocity blast through an elongated restricted orifice 144. The gases of the blast are at temperatures well above the softening point or attenuating temperature of glass.

Substantially rigid rods or primary filaments 146 of glass are fed endwise into the blast at regions adjacent the elongated orifice 144. The intensely hot gases of the blast soften the advancing extremities of the rods and the softened glass attenuates to fibers 150 by the velocity of the gases of the blast.

The fibers 150 are conveyed by the blast onto a plurality of flexible cables or wires 98' providing a flight 100 of a fiber collecting and advancing arrangement. The cables 98 are supported upon rolls 152, 153, 154 and 155, one or more of which are grooved to hold or maintain the cables 98' in transversely spaced relation. Any number of cables may be utilized dependent upon the number of transversely arranged groups of fibers to be formed.

A suction chamber 110 provided by a receptacle 108' is connected with a suitable source of reduced pressure through a pipe 111' to assist in collecting the fibers 150 on the cables 98' in caternary-lilre shapes as shown in FIGURE 9. In this arrangement the fibers supported in undulated or catenary shape are severed in the bight regions bfthe catcnaries by rotating rods 120' carried by hubs 118' as they are advanced in an upwardly inclined direction as shown in FIGURE 11 by the fiber supporting cables 98'. A curved bafile or blade 130 serves to direct the catenary-like loops of fibers into a plurality of compactors 3 one of which is shown in FIGURE 11, to form slivers.

The loops of fibers may be oriented into a mat. This may be accomplished by collecting the advancing loops of fibers on an endless belt-like conveyor having a collecting region adjaccnt'the cable guiding roll 153 in lieu of the fiber compacting devices 38". The fibers of a mat of character are substantially uniformly distributed lengthwise of the mat and the same is endowed with exceptional strength characteristics in a lengthwise direction by reason of the substantially parallel orientation of the fibers.

FIGURES l2 and 13 illustrate an arrangement or apparatus for-carrying out the method of the invention wherein the fibers are collected upon a comparatively narrovrbelt and the collected fibers advanced into a twisting mechanism for twisting the? into a sliver.

As particularly shown in FIGURE 12, a rotor 12" is adapted to receive a stream of glass or other flowable fiber-foaming material, the rotation of the rotor projecting the molten gins? through orifices or openings 20" formed in a rotor wall 18".

A burner 28" supplies an annularly shaped blast of intensely hot burned gases projected through an annularly shaped restricted orifice or slot 34", the blast engaging the extruded bodies or primary filaments 21" and attenuating the sabre into a. hollow beam 37" of fibers 39". The beam 37" of fibers is delivered into a hood or enclosure 170-having an upper entrance 171 to receive the fibers, the lower region of 'rtion 172 of the hood 170 being shaped to form a rec angular discharge outlet 174 enlongated in the direction of movement of a fiber collecting belt 176.

The upper flight 178 of the belt 176 is advanced in a right-hand direction as viewed in FIGURE 12 by suitable driving means (not shown). The end regions of the upper flight 178 of the fiber collecting belt or element 176 pass over rollers 180 and 181 thence around two groups of guide rollers, the rollers of each group being designated 182, 183 and 184. A major number of the fibers mov- 8 ing through the hood are interrupted and collected upon the flight 178 of belt 176, the fibers being looped upon and supported by the belt in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 13.

Disposed beneath the conveyor flight 178 is a walled chamber 187 and beneath the chamber is upper flight 189 of an endless belt conveyor 190 which moves adjacent the region defined by the wall 188, the conveyor 190 being carried on rolls 192, one of which is illustrated in FIGURE 12. The conveyor 190 may be driven by means (not shown) connected with one of the supporting rollers. The return flight 185 of the 'fibercollecting band 176 is directed exteriorly of the chamber 187 by the groups of guide rollers 183 and 184I While the major number of fibers moving through the enclosure 170, are deposited on the hand or belt 176, some of the fibers pass the flight 178 of the belt and are collected upon the flight 189 of the secondary conveyor and conveyed away for processing into mats or other products.

The fibers deposited upon the flight 178 of the band 176 are oriented generally-in superposed loops as indicated at in FIGURE 13. The length of the loops in a substantial measure is influenced by the lengths of the fibers deposited on the belt, and as the fibers are collected on a single band, no severing operation is required to remove the loops from the belt. As shown in FIG- URE 1-2, "the loops of fibers 195 conveyed by the flight 178 in a right-hand direction are discharged from the belt at the region of the roller 181 into a twister 197 of conventional construction driven by a belt 198 from a motor (not shown) which imparts a partial twist to the fibers of the Silver or strand 199 which may be collected in a receptacle 200 or the sliver "may be wound into a package.

The fiber loops 195 may be directed through a fiber l oompactor such as that indicated at 38 in FIGURE 1 in addition to the sliver being passed through the twister 198 or, if a plain sliver is desired, the twister 198 is not used. The fibers continuously collected on the band 176 are delivered for formation into a sliver at a uniform rate and hence the sliver formed therefrom is of uniform diameter. The belt 176 may be approximately one inch in width for formation of a satisfactory sliver, but it is to be that a belt of any width may be utilized or a series of belts arranged in parallelism may be employed for concomitantly producing several slivers 111 the manner described.

While combustion burners have been shown herein for producing fiber attenuating blasts of intensely hot products of combustion, other gases under pressure, such as steam or air, ma be utilized for attenuating the glass or other material to fibers.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the inventron, modifications and difierent arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrated merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

I claim:

1. The method of processing fibers formed by high velocity blast-attenuation of bodies of heat-softenable mineral material including the steps of continuously collecting the fibers out of the blast into catena'ry formations, and continuously advancing the caten'ary formations of fibers away from the region of the attenuating blast.

2. The method of processing fibers formed by high velocity blast-attenuation of bodies of heat-softenable mineral material including the steps of collecting the fibers out of the blast into parallel groups of catenary formations, and severing the bight regions of the groups of catenary formations to form individual groups of the fibers.

3. The method of processing fibers formed by attenuation of bodies of heat-softenable mineral material by a high velocity gaseous blast including the steps of establishing a region of subatmospheric pressure in the path of the gases of the attenuating blast, continuously collecting the fibers out of the blast under the influence of the subatrnospheric pressure into a linear formation of loops of fibers, and continuously advancing the collected loops of fibers away from the region of subatmospheric pressure.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Swallow Aug. 7, 1951 Biefeld et al, Feb. 12, 1957 Scheibe et a1. Feb. 16, 1960 Morrison May 17, 1960 Stalego Apr. 25, 1961 Firnhaber June 13, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Mar. 15, 1956 Great Britain Dec. 7, 1955 Switzerland May 16, 1950 

1. THE METHOD OF PROCESSING FIBERS FORED BY HIGH VELOCITY BLAST-ATTENUATION OF BODES OF EHAT-SOFTENABLE MINERAL MATERIAL INCLUDING THE STEPS OF CONTINUOUSLY COLLECTING THE FIBERS OUT OF THE BLAST INTO CATENARY FORMATIONS, AND CONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING THE CATENARY FORMATIONS OF FIBERS AWAY FROM THE REGION OF THE ATTENUATING BLAST. 